Business 2.0 reader picks for the business tools you can't work without.

Working in an open office with high ceilings is great, except that discordant sounds carry to the point of distraction. My colleagues and I used to put on headphones to work, but tuning one another out meant we didn't interact all that much.

My solution was to buy these Kef speakers, which are beautiful, sound great, and take no time to screw into ceiling corners. We hooked the speakers up to an amp, which we connected to a wireless router that streams music from our computers, so everyone can get a turn at playing disc jockey. With music flowing constantly, the small noises get drowned out and there's a better sense of community among the troops. Granted, our musical tastes don't always mesh. But even that keeps the conversation flowing.